After the horrific terrorist attacks by Hamas against Israel, Donald Trump gave a speech in Florida in which the former President praised the anti-Israel, anti-Jewish Hezbollah terrorist group as “very smart.”
Trump also — as the Western world rallied around Israel and its newly formed unified government — revisited his disappointment with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, bringing up a grudge he holds against the Israeli leader from his time as President.
Eschewing a broad worldview for the personal, Trump said Netanyahu “didn’t make me feel too good” when he allegedly took some credit for the assassination of Iranian “shadow commander” Qasem Soleimani, killed in a U.S. drone strike. Trump said Netanyahu “let us down.”
Trump complains that Israel didn’t participate in the operation against Soleimani: I’ll never forget that Netanyahu let us down.. and then he tried to take credit for it pic.twitter.com/RQO8rfklZk
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 12, 2023
The divisive content of Trump’s speech after the Hamas attack– not least his praise for the intelligence of murderous terrorists — shocked many Americans, including former Congresswoman Liz Cheney, who wrote “Donald Trump attacks the Israeli govt and praises Hezbollah terrorists. Are Republicans really going to nominate this dangerous man to be President of the United States?”
Israeli communications minister Shlomo Karhi on Trump calling Hezbollah "very smart": It's "shameful that a man like that, a former U.S. president, abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel's fighters and its citizens."https://t.co/r1PZtVdgKG
— Republican Accountability (@AccountableGOP) October 12, 2023
In Israel, Trump’s audience reacted with equal disappointment and outrage according to Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, who called Trump’s remarks “shameful” and wondered aloud how a former U.S. president “abets propaganda and disseminates things that wound the spirit of Israel’s fighters and its citizens.”
Trump’s remarks, as inflammatory and insensitive as they were, are largely disconnected from the vast majority of the Republican Party’s approach to Israel and its response in Gaza — which has been dominated by escalating rhetoric bordering on bloodlusthttps://t.co/Phi5I9YwWF
— Ben Samuels (@Bsamuels0) October 12, 2023
In the U.S., other Republicans joined Cheney and Democratic critics of Trump’s statements, including GOP Presidential candidates Ron DeSantis and Asa Hutchinson. Hutchinson said “Shame on you, Donald. Your constant compliments to dictators, terrorist groups, and evil-doers are beneath the office you seek and not reflective of the American character.”
🚨GOP Presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson rips Donald Trump for his attacks on Israel and praise of Hezbollah:
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) October 12, 2023
"Shame on you, Donald. Your constant compliments to dictators, terrorist groups, and evil-doers are beneath the office you seek and not reflective of the American…
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